The Early Bird Gets the Worm
by Santiva Potter
Summary: This early bird got the worm, but he knows he's still got to fight for it. Slight Katrick


**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything of 10 things I hate about you

**The Early Bird Gets the Worm**

**By: Santiva Potter**

**Summary**: This early bird got the worm, but knows he's still got to fight for it. Slight Katrick.

* * *

He liked to keep to himself. Away from the noise of the neighbors, the boisterous gossip of the guys down at the shop and away from every person who tried to dictate his life.

But lucky for him, none of those things mattered at the moment. He'd broken his usual routine and taken the advice of a "wise" old man: Go big or go home.

Chuckling to himself, he shifted in her bed, bringing her warm body closer to his. He could no longer deny it: she was exquisite and he was one lucky bastard.

Her back arched at his touch and encouraged the incentive for lack of space, but if she kept moving any closer, they'd both be in a lot of trouble. He was infamous for not keeping his hands to himself.

"I bet you think you're one lucky bastard, don't you Verona."

"Guilty," he grinned. "I must say, kit-kat, we should do this more often."

She hummed and rolled over to face him. Her big brown eyes stuck a deep chord within him and knew he wouldn't leave her bedroom the same man.

"You better not get too comfortable with his arrangement," she warned. "I still hate you, Verona."

His laughter filled her room.

"Pipe down, will you?" She tried to be stern with him but he could see the smile creeping through. "I don't want my dad coming in. He'll go berserk."

"And then you'd be so lonely at night, pinning for me, of course."

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm still the same shrew everyone in this town is afraid of."

He brought one of his rough calloused hands to her soft skin, brushing her brunette tresses back and staring deep into her eyes. "You are no shrew."

His lips quickly followed and before either one of them knew it, she had pinned him to the bed, her body hovering over his, clearly giving invitation. And he was quite ready to comply, her hands were pushing up his shirt and her lips were leaving a fiery trail down his throat.

"Katherine," he groaned.

He was about to remove her own shirt when his back pocket interrupted with a soft buzzing noise. Pulling out his cell phone, he knew he didn't need to look at the caller ID to know that his time was up.

"I got to run," he said. "You know, so many girls, so little time."

She whacked him with her pillow.

He grabbed his black leather jacket and his shoes and turned back to _his_ brunette beauty.

"You might want to look into becoming an insomniac."

"And what if I want my beauty sleep?" came the coy response.

He flashed her the classic cocky Verona grin.

"I'll be busy tonight anyway," she continued. "I've got to save the world, you know—at the Sheraton theatre."

Ah yes, another Save the Earth benefit concert. And with the trouble he was bound to be in, he knew he'd be there.

"See you at 8 then," he promised slipping out of her window.

Thanking his father for the crash course in sneaking out of bedroom windows, the young Verona jogged up to his black motorcycle and sped home.

They were waiting for him when he walked in. His mother was standing, no pacing around the living room, with her arms crossed anxiously.

"Well?" she snapped.

His father, on the other hand, was leaning against the wall with ease.

"She said yes."

Katarina Stratford-Verona sighed exuberantly and hugged her 24 year-old son Brandon.

"Her father is going to kill you," Patrick laughed.

"Her father?" Brandon scoffed. Joey Donner he could handle, but he was currently imagining the look on Chastity Church's face when she found out that her rebellious daughter was going to marry a Verona.

Patrick, thinking along the same lines of his son, grinned. "She'll want to kill you too. And Bianca."

"For what? Introducing us?"

"That and screwing her husband," Kat added as Brandon collapsed on one of the couches. "It'll be an interesting ceremony, to say the least."

"Yeah, well Aunt B is done with being a home-wrecker," Brandon reminded. "It's a good thing she's got Uncle Cameron."

"Wait till I tell your sisters," Patrick smiled.

"Ugh," Brandon groaned thinking of his three older sisters, particularly Mel. "I thought that was the reason we kicked them out!"

"And don't forget the twins!" Patrick continued.

"Stop teasing him Patrick," Kat scolded lightly, before turning back to her son. "I'm sure she's coming to the showing tonight."

"Yep," Brandon replied, running his hands through his unruly curly hair. "We're planning on dropping the bomb to Mommy and Daddy dearest there."

"Good luck," Patrick sighed. He knew a thing or two about disapproving parents, but even he and Dr. Stratford were on better terms when he went down on one knee than Brandon and Chastity.

"Thanks," Brandon mumbled as he stood back up. "Listen, I think I'm going to try and get some more sleep before all hell breaks loose. Can you wake me around noon?"

"Sure thing," Patrick answered. "And Brandon?"

His youngest son turned back to look at his parents. They were standing next to each other now. Patrick's arm was draped loosely over his wife's shoulder and Kat was leaning into her husband's embrace. He smiled softly at the two of them. Despite all the madness that was bound to ensue, he knew exactly where to find that sort of happiness and he would be damned to let Katherine's mother or father get in his way.

"Congratulations."

* * *

In waiting for my precious laptop to come back to life (I'm ordering a new part, so hopefully it will fix my harddrive issues) this little drabble popped into my head. I hope you enjoyed it. My mind is already spinning with ideas for a sequel, but I make no promises! Thanks so much to Dingbat142001 for your stamp of approval. And as a treat here's a sneak peak for the next update of In the Sky with Diamonds:

_Mandella knew it was wrong, but someone had to pull her head out the sky. Kat Stratford was just going to have to learn the hard way. _

Can you believe that tomorrow it comes back? What a great way to start the week! :)

Much Love,

Santiva Potter


End file.
